Choosing a Team
by Phantom Listener 101
Summary: Okay, basically it's a AU version of how the team met and all that, only Dante is the one who brings them all together, sort of. Sorry, totally bad with summaries
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story and I'm still a bit unsure about everything, but, I hope you like it. **

Chapter 1: The Junior Seekers

Dante's POV:

Dante Vale strode through the halls of the school, his head held high like always. The start of a new school year, automatically meant loads of new faces would be arriving. Since Dante is the equivalent of a head boy, he took his _job_ extremely serious. Even so, he sometimes wished he had more free time.

Unlike most schools in Venice however, Huntik Academy was a boarding school. Not only that, but it was a special school that only accepted seekers from the age of fifteen and the school expected the seekers to be relatively well trained by the time they arrived at Huntik.

Dante turned into the hall and a grin spread across his face. One of the class room doors was open and he immediately knew that Metz had decided to arrive early. Of course he, along with all the other teachers, had already been here two days before all the students but it was only four in the morning and therefore it was quite unreasonable for any student to be up already. Dante approached the class room in which the teacher was usually located. Like most students, Dante saw Metz as the person to go to if you had any questions but unlike most, Dante truly felt a bond with Metz and saw him almost as a father figure. "Dante!" Metz said with a smiled when he saw the skinny boy poking his head into the room. Metz was a man in his forties with graying hair and a kind face though he usually dressed formal and he could look serious if he wanted to.

Grinning, Dante stepped into the familiar room where he'd spent so many late nights just talking to the teacher. It was a simple enough office with a normal chair and a mahogany desk placed in one corner. A fireplace was the only thing that interrupted all the book covered shelves that lined the walls. It had become a habit to study the thicker books' spines and wonder what secrets those books held since their spines seemed determined not to give anything away.

"You're probably the only guy in this school who could get away with hair that's almost hanging over your ears, lucky for you though, the school doesn't worry too much about appearances" Metz shook his head, chuckling at some private joke. "Now then, what's on your mind" Metz asked a lot more serious, seeming to notice the solemn look that suddenly crossed Dante's face.

"It's just… I've had a look at the new students when they arrived here yesterday, and they're a small number. And, I hate to say it, but, they're not very talented" Dante admitted as he stared out of the window that offered a view of the school backyard where Dante himself usually practiced fighting in his free time. The silence that greeted this statement made Dante suddenly less sure of what he'd just said. "Of course, I suppose it's not really my place to judge" Dante added as he's gaze left the window and traveled to the floor.

"Right now the standards of the school is dropping, you're right, but it's only because most seekers' powers and extent of their abilities are hidden from them because their parents want to protect them" Metz said as he went to stand next to Dante.

"That might be true, but we need seekers at the moment, I need to chose a team at the end of the second term and there really isn't much to chose from since I can't take anyone who's in the same year as me" Dante said as he leaned against the window, folded his arms and looked at Metz. "There's nothing for it. All you can do is pick three others and train them to the best of your abilities" Metz surged.

"But Metz, if a teacher can't help them, how can I" Dante sighed feeling rather miserable at the thought of the new kids and the fact that he would soon have to make one of the biggest decisions in his life as well as three other people's.

"You're the number one seeker in this academy, if anyone can help these new kids and the others as well, it's sure to be you" Metz said, placing a reassuring hand on Dante's shoulder. Dante eyed his teacher doubtfully. Sure he'd gotten a lot of praises before other teachers but Metz was definitely overestimating him this time. Dante was only eighteen but he could tell that Metz already expected him to lead the world's greatest team of seekers.

"Thanks" Dante told Metz with a slightly forced smile even though he felt even worse than he had before they'd had their chat.

"The answer will come, just give it time" Metz told his student in the wise tone that only a teacher could use without sounding ridiculous. _Will it really?_ Dante wondered as he left the man's office. The halls of the school now had some occupants in them but Dante didn't really care as he strode through the corridors, heading directly for his dorm and ignoring everything else that went on around him even though, as he went, chaos broke out around him. Hey, it was hard to be in a school where you could fight with more than your fists.

"On behalf of the staff and other students of Huntik Academy, I just want to welcome all the Junior Seekers" Guggenheim announced at breakfast an hour and a half later, staring at the section where all the fifteen-year-old students sat, a smile on his usually serious face. "After breakfast all of you will be placed in your different homerooms where you'll receive your schedules and any further questions will be answered then as well" Guggenheim continued.

Dante threw a grimace at his two friends, Matt and Ed (though Ed was more Matt's friend then Dante's), who were currently flicking food at each other. Dante groaned under his breath before turning his attention back to the headmaster.

"… and enjoy the rest of your day" Guggenheim finished before rejoining the rest of the staff at their table.

"Dude have you seen the new seekers, they look like a bunch of losers" Ed said as he stuffed a too large piece of meat into his mouth.

Dante frowned at him disapprovingly; sure Dante himself had thought the same but at least he was willing to give the new seekers a chance and he certainly hadn't been rude enough to refer to them as losers, they just weren't properly trained yet. "They're not that bad" Dante muttered, poking at his food, his appetite had left him and now he was eyeing the food on his plate as if the action would make the food disappear.

"I agree with Dante, we were probably just as inexperienced when we first arrived here" Matt said as he bit off and swallowed a piece of bread.

"I doubt it" Dante just heard Ed mumble.

"Anyway" Matt said with a sudden grin. "Everybody says this year's gonna be really hard" Matt went on with a sudden, mischievous glint in his eye that made Dante wonder if it would be safe to go to sleep in his own dorm tonight. Dante made a mental note check for any shaving cream on his pillow or something gross on his toothbrush.

"Duh, we're gonna have to teach people what we know, of course it's gonna be hard" Ed snorted causing Dante to grab hold of his hair in utter frustration. Why did he have to be the one stuck with this guy, he was rude and annoying and he couldn't stop talking! Relief washed over Dante when everyone was told to go to class and he immediately headed for his first class, Defense, thankful for the excuse to leave. The only reason he put up with Ed and his stupid remarks were because he and Matt had been friends since the both started Huntik Academy, three years ago. Dante's fury over Ed's behavior was quickly forgotten though, as his blood started pumping in Defense.

One thing you were told on orientation day was that the school wasn't for sissies and after the first week it usually became evident that they were telling the truth. Each day you had defense, offense and target practice along with all the other subjects schools normally offered and a few others normal humans had never even heard off (Spell casting and of course, the history of Seekers and Titans). All the students were also required to take a one mile run each day which you could choose to do at the beginning _or_ end of the day.

Dante grabbed Terrance's hand as it flew at his face. After some struggling, Dante managed to wrestle Terrance's hand away from his face and his own fist soon connected with Terrance's jaw. In one swift move, Dante ducked under Terrance's oncoming arm before kicking his feet out from under him and standing up again.

"Well done Mr. Vale, though I did tell you that only defense was necessary" Mr. Duggery told Dante in a warning voice. Dante nodded, he hadn't really meant to knock Terrance off his feet, it had just happened. Dante frowned, normally, acting out of instinct would have earned the teacher's approval but that had never been the case with Mr. Duggery who believed that it was better to defend as long as possible since, according to him, violence was unnecessary and pointless.

"Nice going Dante" Cooper said as Dante joined the group who had already had their turn in defending themselves. Dante managed a smile, silently scolding himself for not being able to control his actions. Luckily Dante aced every other test they were given the rest of the day and his self worth was almost restored by the time the school day was done.

_Okay,_ _so I still have to run and I have to practice my reaction on defense_ Dante thought to himself as he left his last class of the day and started making his way back to the dorms. He was too deeply buried in his own thoughts to notice anything until he bumped into someone and almost tripped. Dante blinked at the girl who was currently collecting a large pile of books which had spilled all over the floor.

"Sorry 'bout that" he muttered as he bent down to help her.

_Wow, okay, either she's a total nerd or she's a pretty good seeker_ Dante thought as he studied one of the books he'd just picked up.

"Oh my word, you're Dante Vale" the girl suddenly exclaimed, causing Dante to look up from what he'd just been reading. Nerd, definitely nerd he decided before studying the girl. She looked about fifteen which meant she was new here. That would explain why she seemed so shocked to find Dante crouching in the hall and helping her with her books. Next Dante studied her face more closely and realized that she didn't really fit the description of a nerd. She had long mouse-brown hair that was hanging in loose curls and though her green eyes seemed filled with intelligence, she didn't seem to lack social skills like most of the other nerds Dante had met before.

"Ah, I guess I am" Dante replied uncertainly as he rose out of his crouch and handed the girl back her books. "I'm Sophie Casterwill" she said clamping her books under one arm and holding out the other hand, a smile flashing across her face, along with a slight blush. "Nice to meet you" Dante said, taking her hand and shaking it.

"Well, thanks for helping me with my books Dante" Sophie said before hurrying away. Dante breathed a sigh of relief; he had started to worry about what he would say if she tried to continue the conversation. Glancing back at where Sophie had just disappeared, Dante walked on and slipped into his room. Matt hadn't returned from his run yet so the dorm was silent when Dante dumped his bag on the kitchen table. He wandered over to the cupboard and took out a plate and glass before opening the fridge and groaning.

_Of course_ he thought as he closed the fridge with unnecessary force. Why couldn't the school at least stock the fridge with juice or an apple! Putting everything away again, Dante went into his room, grabbed his wallet and slipped it into his jean pocket. After getting a pass and permission to head into town, Dante left the safety of the school grounds and headed into the unprotected city. Guggenheim had constantly warned the Huntik students that, the moment they decided to join the school, they would have to be more careful when they left the school since, according to him, the Organization (an evil and older version of Huntik Academy) would do anything to get their hands on Huntik students.

Dante double checked his sunglasses and hid the pass that was currently hanging around his neck, before heading out the store again. Dante had never been attacked by an Organization agent before and therefore had no idea what they looked like (except for the professor of whom he'd seen a picture). Dante could only hope that the Organization agents didn't know how any of the kids at Huntik Academy looked. Dante felt slightly ridiculous, walking up the street with a bag of groceries in one hand and a bag of milk and juice in the other. Dante studied his watch in an effort to determine how long he would have to stay up if he wanted to do the mile, practice his combat _and_ do his homework. _Maybe I can skip the mile today_ Dante thought with a grimace as he passed a side road and froze.

"Give it up, you're surrounded" a man was saying.

_What the heck…_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The kid with the journal

Thinking fast, Dante hid the two plastic bags under some old cardboard boxes, and rolled up the sleeves of his black jersey.

Pressing his body against one of the cold building walls in an effort to remain in the shadows, Dante made his way further up the side street, towards the spot where the man's voice had come from. He risked a glance around the corner of the wall he was hiding behind but quickly returned to the safety of the shadows.

The man wasn't alone; there were two other men with him plus two women. In the middle of the circle they had formed, was a boy who seemed to be injured, if the fact that he was lying face down on the ground, was any indication. The five adults weren't above suspicion seeing as all of them wore tuxedo-like suites, earpieces and pitch black sunglasses that hid their eyes. The kid had regained consciousness and had stumbled back onto his feet, water dripping from his torn clothes and wet hair to form a small puddle around his feet.

_What do these guys want with a kid?_ Dante wondered as he readied himself for the fight that was sure to break out in a matter of seconds. Taking a deep breath, Dante stepped out of the shadows into the warehouse surrounded area the side street opened up in. "Come on, can't you guys leave the poor kid alone?" Dante said in what he hoped was a causal tone. Out of the corner of his eye, Dante saw the injured kid shooting him annoyed look before turning his attention and glare back to his assailants.

"Mind your own business boy" one of the men sneered and, recognizing him as the guy who had drawn his attention to the situation, Dante grimaced. Dante strolled forward, forcing himself to act casual.

"I'm afraid I can't do that" he said with a surge before his foot caught the man square in the chest, sending him flying into one of his accomplices and together the hit a warehouse wall. Wasting no time to check if they really were out of commission, he turned his attention to the other people who had finally figured out that Dante represented a threat, and who were now rushing towards him. He quickly took out one of the women using the same method as with the two men, and bought the other woman down by jabbing her in the face with his elbow. Dante turned around to face the last guy only to find that the kid had already taken care of him. The smile he gave the kid wavered when he noticed the kid's shirt pocket glowing with a green light.

_Can that possibly be…_ Dante wondered as he studied the kid more closely. Okay, so he wasn't really a kid, Dante realized. The guy looked about fifteen with blonde hair and blue eyes; he was also holding a leather-bound journal in an extremely tight grip.

"Nice moves" the guy commented as he followed Dante back to where he'd hid his groceries. "How'd you know I was there?" the guy wanted to know, untroubled by the fact that he'd just been attacked. "I didn't" Dante stated simply.

"Well, I'm Lok Lambert" the guy introduced himself with a slightly forced smile on his face.

"Dante Vale" Dante said before coming to an abrupt halt. He turned to Lok and studied him with a frustrated expression, why did _that_ name sound so familiar? "Do I know you" Dante questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No" Lok answered quickly, holding up his hands defensively. With an internal sigh, Dante turned and continued towards the Academy, Lok still tagging along.

"So, why did your friends back there seem ready to kill you?" Dante asked in a tired voice. "I don't know" Lok admitted seeming suddenly put off.

"I think I might" Dante said, holding his hand out for the journal, the way Lok had held on to the journal while he'd been surrounded told Dante that the journal definitely had something to do with it. Lok appeared hesitant to hand it over which made Dante even more confident that his guess had been right.

"I know it has something to do with why the men came looking for me, but those guys practically destroyed it" Lok informed Dante when he finally gave him the journal.

"What happened to it?" Dante had to ask when he saw that all the pages of the journal were wet and smudged. Narrowing his eyes, Dante could just make out enough of what had been written on one of the pages, for the journal to confirm his suspicions

"It fell into the cannel and I had to go in after it. I just wish I knew what was going on" Lok exclaimed in an aggravated tone.

_Well, that would explain why he's wet_ Dante thought before replying. "Um, I think I can help with that" Dante said tentatively, not sure if he was really allowed to give out any of the information Lok was so desperate to get his hands on. _What if he's a member of the Organization, can I trust him?_ Dante couldn't help feeling worried. All of it suddenly seemed a little too convenient. "Anyway, how could you not know what's going on with something like that journal in your possession" Dante asked, thinking fast. Dante had already revealed that he knew about the secret world so there was no use pretending now, all he could do was to buy time till they made it to school in hope that the barrier would come into affect if Lok couldn't be trusted.

"Well, I didn't really get a good look at anything before I had to go for a swim" Lok told Dante in a miserable voice as he took back the journal. Dante watched Lok for a while before frowning, either this kid was a really good actor and a rotten Organization agent, or he really didn't have any idea about the secret world that he was probably part of.

"Did the guys say anything about why they wanted the journal?" Dante asked, relieved to see the front of the school looming ahead.

"No… why are you so interested?" Lok asked sounding confused and helpless for a few seconds before suspicion leaked into his voice. Dante shrugged, trying his best to look nonchalant. _Okay, here we go…_ Dante thought as he stepped into the perimeter that he knew was protected by the invisible barrier. He half expected an exclamation of: "What the-" or "Hey!" but nothing happened. Dante looked over his shoulder at Lok, only mildly surprised.

_Okay, so he's definitely not with the Organization_ Dante thought as a small, satisfied smile played on his lips. _But that still leaves the other question…_ Dante's struggles were interrupted by a sudden exclamation from Lok, and Dante rushed forward to see what he was looking at. Apparently two Junior Seekers had gotten tired of each other and were now glaring at one another while the crowd around them cheered them on. Dante's confusion sifted to anger in a matter of seconds as both the fifteen-year-olds shot into the air crying: "Hyperstride".

"Whoa, what is this place" Lok said with awe.

"It's hard to explain" Dante said with a stern voice. "Hey, you, stop messing around" Dante called to the juniors in his no nonsense voice. The two fighters were so shocked to hear Dante's voice that they lost concentration and fell to the ground. Dante had to smirk at that. "Come on, I know someone who can explain things to you" Dante said as he led Lok through the main double doors into the school.

"The guys who attacked me did the same thing those kids just did" Lok whispered, he looked about ready to add something else but seemed to think better of it and kept quiet, staring at the floor as he followed Dante through the school corridors. After making a stop at his dorm to drop off the two plastic bags, Dante led Lok to Metz's office, hoping Metz would be able to help. The fifteen-year-old stayed quiet the entire time, seeming deeply absorbed in his own thoughts. Dante knocked on the door, watching Lok out of the corner of his eye.

"Come in" the voice that came through the door sounded distracted. Giving Lok the reassuring smile he himself wanted to see, Dante opened the door and went inside. "Dante? Who's your friend" Metz asked when he looked up from his work frowning at the young man who he couldn't identify.

"Lok this is Metz, one of the teachers here. Metz this is Lok, we just met in town" Dante said, each word slowing down as he watched Metz's reaction change from confusion to fury. The look he shot Dante shouted something along the lines of: "Dante! What have you done?"

"Lok, what's that in your pocket" Dante said quickly, hoping his hunch was right, otherwise he would definitely be in trouble after they erased Lok's memory. Frowning, Lok dug into his shirt pocket and pulled out a green stoned amulet on a black cord.

_Yes!_ Dante's mind exclaimed victoriously.

"It's an amulet, I think" Lok told them with an uncertain frown. Dante couldn't help feeling smug as he watched the shocked expression on Metz's face.

"Do you know what this means?" Metz asked in the tone of a businessman when he'd finally recovered his voice.

"No, but a voice I heard told me that, if I concentrated hard enough, it would help me against those freaks" Lok said as he shook his head.

"Voice?" Dante asked skeptically.

"Those freaks?" Metz questioned sounding both worried and amused. "When I found him, he was being threatened by members of the Organization" Dante explained tilting his head towards Lok in a thoughtful manner.

"Lok, why don't you sit down" Metz offered after some consideration. Dante sat down as well, while Metz heaved himself off his chair to go and stand by the window. "That amulet you're holding contains a creature called a Titan" Metz began, seeming to struggle with finding the right words.

"My dad's amulet hold's one of the monsters I saw those other guys invoke?" Lok questioned, holding the amulet up a bit higher and narrowing his eyes at it. Dante stared at Lok in surprise; the Organization had actually invoked their Titans, in public?

"It might have been your father's amulet at the beginning, but it's bonded with you now, it's yours" Metz told Lok.

"I don't care" Lok exclaimed and causing Dante to wince as he slammed the amulet onto Metz's desk. "Those guys back there destroyed the only hopes I had of ever finding my dad" Lok said as he waved the journal around before turning around and throwing open the door. Realization hit Dante like a lightning bolt.

"You're Eathon Lambert's son" Dante said feeling stunned. "Of course, how did I miss it? The resemblance you bear is remarkable" Metz exclaimed so suddenly Dante's head whipped around to stare at the old man in wonder.

"You knew my dad?" Lok asked, turning around slowly with a slightly pained and bewildered expression on his face.

"Your father and I were a team, along with another man called Simon Judeaou" Metz said. The moment of delight had vanished quickly and Metz now looked more careworn than Dante had ever seen him. "Do, eh, do you know what happened him?" Lok asked carefully, as if he was afraid of getting his hopes up. Metz shook his head. "No, I don't know where he is" Metz sighed.

"You said you don't know where he _is_ does that mean he might still be alive? I have to find him" Lok declared abruptly, a fierce determination showing on his face.

"Lok-" Metz started in a worried tone.

"Please sir, if there's at all a chance that I could at least learn something about how and why my dad disappeared, I have to try" Lok interrupted him in a pleading voice. Sighing, Metz nodded his approval. "So, um, what exactly is the point of this thing?" Lok said as he picked up his amulet and studied it again with a puzzled expression. Dante chuckled at that, the guy might be determined but he lacked the knowledge and experience required to survive in the world of titans and seekers.

"Like I said before, it's a titan. Titans are creature's who roamed the earth several years before recorded history, some of the more corrupted titans controlled the human race, until five guardians imprisoned all the titans in amulets. Now a day though, seekers are trained to use the amulets and the titans in these amulets, in combat. Huntik is the only school branch who trains teenagers to do exactly that. Anyway, bonding with the titan in that amulet made you a seeker" Metz explained. "Plus being a seeker automatically grants you access to special abilities through the use of spells" Metz continued.

"Like what those other guys, um, I mean, those Organization guys, were doing?" Lok questioned with a thoughtful look.

"Yes, unfortunately the Organization is an evil society of seekers controlled by a man who calls himself the Professor" Metz said as he started pacing. "The question is; why were they after you?" Metz said with a troubled look on his face.

"I know it has something to do with my dad's journal, but whatever it is, it's useless now. Which reminds me, what's the Amulet of Will and the Gohlam?" Lok wondered out loud, causing silence to fall over the room like a thick blanket.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry 'bout this, I know the story's moving fast and slow at the same time but I'll do my best not to disappoint you. :-)**

Chapter 3: The First Lesson

"How do you know about the Amulet of Will?" Metz was the first to break the haunting silence.

"My dad mentioned it in his journal-" Lok started explaining.

"Well hello there friend! Glad to see you made it here safely" a sharp yet friendly voice suddenly exclaimed. Dante frowned, recognizing Cherit's voice but not understanding what Cherit was talking about. A few seconds later Cherit himself appeared on the windowsill. Cherit was a flying titan who only resembled a normal bat up to a certain point. His face on the other hand, reminded Dante more of a tiger's than a bat's and there was the matter of his entire body being covered with silvery-gray hair that made him look like he had a beard. He had yellow eyes that would have been terrifying on any other creature, but on the small titan, the tiny horns and yellow eyes didn't look threatening at all, they looked almost friendly. To top of the weirdness, Cherit had almost rabbit-like ears. Even with this odd ensemble, Cherit managed to look wise.

"You!" Lok exclaimed in a disbelieving voice. "You're the one who told me to concentrate on my dad's amulet" Lok accused.

"You were?" Dante asked feeling bewildered.

"I was just looking out for the boy. I figure, since he had an amulet and was running away from the Organization, that he was a on our side" Cherit explained with a surge. "You said it yourself Dante, you need more seekers" Cherit said as he turned his attention on Dante. Dante didn't even bother to try and figure out how the titan knew about his early meeting with Metz, he'd known the nine hundred year old titan long enough not to waste his time concentrating on insignificant things.

"That's true" Metz said with a nod and a look of thoughtfulness. "Then it's settled, Dante'll be your trainer for the next few weeks and then we'll see about getting you in here on a scholarship" Metz said after a while heaving another tired sigh. _What do you mean it's settled! I didn't agree to this, and just because I found the kid, it doesn't mean I have to be responsible for him!_ Dante wanted to object but something in the way Mets stared tiredly out in front of him, made him hold back and he just shrugged.

"Yeah!" Lok exclaimed before clearing his throat and stating in a much more laid back voice: "I mean… cool". Metz gave the two teens a wary smile before his business manner returned.

"Right, Lok, you'll be staying with me for a while before you start at Huntik Academy. Until then, Dante, I believe you and Lok still have a mile run to do today" Metz said and the amused smile that played across his lips made Dante feel more at ease.

"I suppose so" Dante said slowly before leaving, shooting Cherit a quizzical look as he went.

"What did he mean with the mile run thing?" Lok asked, looking confused.

"Just one of the perks of Huntik, you have to run a mile everyday" Dante said in bitter humor as he pushed open the door and stepped into the uncomfortably warm outside world. It would definitely be a struggle to complete the run without a sweat.

"Man! And I thought my normal school was tough" Lok complained as if he had heard Dante's thoughts.

"Speaking of which, won't you be missed back in the real world?" Dante said, only using the terms 'real world' out of courtesy for Lok, who was probably still struggling to process what he'd just found out.

"No, the school term ended today" Lok said, placing his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner. This news surprised Dante. Though he was well informed about the world outside the school walls, what went on with and in other schools really was no concern of his.

"Come on, you might have escaped the Organization but that doesn't guarantee you're survival here" Dante said as he shoved exercise pants and a white shirt into Lok's empty hands.

"Uh…" was all Lok could manage. He blinked at the blue pair of pants and the plain white shirt he was holding before snapping into action and heading further into Dante's dorm to try and find the bathroom. Dante dressed quickly and placed his titans in a box which he sealed with a spell he knew most other people wouldn't be able to break. The doors to all the dormitories were protected by a similar spell but it didn't hurt to be careful. As Dante stared out of his bedroom window at the field that lay stretched out below him, he realized that he hadn't seen Matt since English third period and he still wasn't back from wherever he'd been since the end of the school day.

"Why'd you do it?" Dante questioned Cherit as he rubbed his wet hair dry with a towel. It felt good to have taken a shower after sitting and doing his homework for so long. It was well past midnight and Matt had long since gone to bed. Cherit had arrived at his bedroom window half an hour ago and had waited patiently until Dante had finished with his homework.

"The Academy needs more seekers and you need a team" Cherit said as if that explained everything.

"He's not going to be part of the team I pick at the end of the second term" Dante said with a nearly humorless laugh.

"Who knows, he could be a natural born seeker like his father was" Cherit said thoughtfully, he seemed lost in old memories, which was probably the case though Cherit was known for the fact that he couldn't really remember much of what had happened in his life.

"There's no guarantee and the Organization seems pretty keen on getting their hands on him. That can't be good" Dante said, glaring out in front of him. Somewhere in his brain, he knew he was just blowing off steam and that the grudge he harbored towards the younger teen was just because the teen had managed to supply him with another list of new problems. Dante said nothing as he got ready for bed. Metz had told him that the answer would come, and yet he was still waiting. Maybe it was naive to think the solution would appear so quickly, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that told him time was running out. Getting into bed, Dante sank into a deep and troubled sleep.

Dante got up at half past four and got dressed as quickly as possible. At his touch, the sealing spell he'd placed on the wooden box containing his amulets, shattered and he opened the lid without trouble. Dante didn't need time to wonder which amulets he had to take. He grabbed two Freelancer amulets, Solwing and Caliban. Caliban was the only amulet that Dante carried around his neck, the rest of his amulets went into the pockets of his khaki pants.

Dante frowned, usually Cherit was there waiting to talk to him the second he woke up, but now he was nowhere in sight. Shrugging Dante grabbed his jacket and started towards Metz's room. If Lok wanted to learn how to be a seeker, he would just have to fall in with Dante's schedule. It was cold when Dante left the dormitories and headed across the track field towards the building where all the teachers lived. None of the other students were up yet but Dante was so used to this by now that he didn't really take any notice. Dante pressed the button next to the door and the door beeped open after a few minutes. Pushing through it, Dante headed up the stairs to the second floor. The sight that greeted Dante made the nagging feeling of the previous night return. Metz was standing in front of him with a pale complexion and dark circles under his tired eyes. "Metz?" Dante asked, struggling to keep the fear out of his voice.

"I'm guessing you're here to get Lok?" he asked with a smile. Unfortunately, unlike yesterday, the smile did nothing to put Dante at ease.

"Uh, yeah" Dante said quickly. Metz went to the kitchen and left the door open for Dante to follow. "You're already awake?" Dante asked, surprised to see Lok sitting at the table, resting his chin in his hand and poking tiredly at the cereal in front of him.

"Yeah, Cherit made me get up" he mumbled. "Are we going to start training now?" Lok wanted to know, loosing the tired look in an instant and standing up, leaving his food untouched.

"Yeah" Dante answered simply, throwing a glance at the door through which Metz had just disappeared. When Dante looked back at Lok, he was grinning at Cherit. "We better go" he said as he turned around and started walking towards the school backyard.

"Here, your father's amulet is still a little too advanced for you" Dante said as he dug into his pocket and fished out one of the two Freelancers he'd taken from the box. As he handed Lok the amulet, it flashed a pure white. Dante gasped, how had Lok bonded with it so fast?

"See, I told you. The kid's a natural" Cherit said with a grin. As they started walking again, Lok studied the amulet with a strange expression on his face.

"Lok, you have to understand" Dante started after a while of walking in silence. "'Being a seeker is hard work and it could become very dangerous" he told the youth with a worried frown. If Lok really was going to be a seeker he at least needed a fair warning.

"I know, but my father was a seeker and now I have to do everything in my power to find him" Lok said with a mysterious fire in his already burning eyes. Dante smiled at Lok, the kid was a mystery to him. "Though your titans aren't dependant on your energy source while they're fighting, it takes energy to summon them. When you've invoked a titan the titan can continue fighting even after you've exhausted yourselves, but if it takes a fatal blow it'll return to the amulet to-" Dante stopped, struggling for the right words.

"Recharge" Lok offered.

"Let's go with that" Dante agreed with a smile. "Though a seeker can be worn out, the same can't be said for titans, if they exhaust their energy source too much their existence shatters and the amulet is broken as well" Dante continued, running a hand through his long, red brown hair.

"They can die?" Lok asked in a disbelieving voice. Dante gave a grim nod.

"Sometimes it better to rely on yourself rather than others, like this" Dante told Lok before reaching a hand into the air. "Boltflare" Dante called, his voice bouncing around in the silence. As he said it an orb of orange light appeared in his hand, flickering brilliantly. "Your turn" Dante announced as the light went out.

"Okay, here we go. Boltflare" Lok called out as he copied Dante's move, extending his hand into the air. Dante watched with disappointment as Lok's had remained empty and the surround area remained unlit. Dante frowned as he turned around and spotted a disappearing figure. His reflexes came round immediately. In a few seconds he had removed his amulet from around his neck and was gripping it tightly in one hand.

"Caliban" he murmured, not wanting the figure to know it had been seen.

"Hey!" he heard a faintly familiar voice call as Caliban stopped the person in their tracks. When Dante joined his titan he was surprised to find Sophie standing in a defensive position.

"What are you doing out so early?" Dante asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Aren't I allowed?" Sophie asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Um, guys, would you mind introducing me?" Lok said, sounding uncertain as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry 'bout that, Lok Lambert Sophie Casterwill" Dante said as he recalled Caliban and put the amulet around his neck once again. He eyed Sophie suspiciously.

"Nice to meet you" Lok said as he extended a hand. Sophie didn't say a word; she just nodded as she gripped his hand in hers. "Dante, how come I can't form a Boltflare, I mean, I could leap from building roofs yesterday" Lok asked as he turned his attention back to Dante who had gone to lean against a wall.

"Your powers were jumpstarted by the amulet, that's why you were able to call up your abilities without practice" Dante explained as he straightened up.

"But unfortunately for you, the only way to become a seeker is through practice, I've been training since the age of five" Sophie said as she folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at the two teenage boys.

"Uh, maybe this isn't such a good idea" Lok said with a miserable sigh. "I mean, Sophie could probably do more at the age of six, than I can do now" he continued, sitting down on the ground. He pulled his father's amulet out of his pocket and stared at it.

"You're not going to be able to help your father if you sit around all day" Dante informed him in a firm tone.

"Dante, who are we kidding, I'm no seeker" Lok said pressing his empty palms forward as if it proved his point. Dante frowned, he could have sworn he saw a flicker of light, or he certainly hoped it was light. "I'd better go before more people arrive" Lok said as he pushed himself onto his feet and trudged off towards the teachers building.

"Um, Dante, what's going on?" Sophie asked, uncertain of how to approach the subject. "Don't tell anyone about Lok" he said, ignoring her question. Without another word, he turned around and left.

**Sorry, not that great, I know but hopefully the next chapter will be better**


	4. Chapter 4

**This one's for Phantom Moon Sky who suggested it. I do hope that it's at least satisfying. One last thing, I've decided to update at least once every second week since I have two stories to work on and need to balance them out. Hope you enjoy! :-) **

Chapter 4: Damsels to the Rescue

"Can't I just go alone?" Loc asked Dante. The two Huntik students had already gotten their mile run over and done with and had just left the boys' dormitories. Even though they were newly dressed, they were still hot and sweaty (or at least Loc was).

"No, we don't know if the Organization's still out looking for you" Dante reminded him his impatience disguising the doubt in his mind. Though Dante would never admit it, since he was supposed to be this great leader, he was doubtful that he could protect Loc if real trouble showed up. Top Academy student or not, he was still only a 17 year old up against an evil organization of adult seekers who had loads more experience than he himself.

"Where are you two going?" someone's voice cut through the silence that always surrounded the dorms around this time of the day. Dante looked over his shoulder, strangely unfazed at finding Sophie standing nearby with her arms folded in a very business like manner. Even though he wasn't so surprised to see her, Dante couldn't help wondering about her motives for being there.

"We're just going for a walk" Dante said in a velvet calm voice that made most girls' knees turn to jelly though it wasn't Dante's intentions.

"And I'm the queen of England" the green eyed girl said as she approached the two boys, Loc looked as if he'd been caught stealing his older brothers toys, which made Dante roll his eyes. "I'm not stupid you know? But one thing I don't get, why are you hiding Loc. You know as well as I do that we need all the seekers we can get" Sophie declared, her hands going to her hips.

"What do you want in return for keeping quiet about Loc?" Dante asked warily, not even bothering to answer her question since she was only making the observation because she wanted something from him. Sophie tilted her head with pursed lips and a thoughtful look on her face as she tapped her chin.

"I want you to train me" she explained. "I'll even pay you" she added just as Dante was about to refuse. Dante raised an eyebrow, debating whether or not to take the offer.

_Well, she is a Casterwill, which would automatically grant her access to all the Casterwill funds_ he reasoned with himself as if battling some inner war. Though the Casterwill family wasn't descendents or even related to the original Casterwill, being a member of the Casterwill family still meant that you had a powerful bloodline and that you were therefore expected to be a great seeker someday. Dante allowed a cautious nod, untroubled by the amount of money he would be paid. He'd bring it up later when they could talk about it in private.

"Great, let's get started" she said with a slightly victorious smile.

"No, first we have to head into town" Dante said, laying a hand on Sophie's shoulder and though Dante hadn't planned it, she seemed to take this second of contact as an invitation to come along on their trip.

"What for?" she asked as if she couldn't quite understand what would be more important than training.

"We need to get some stuff and Dante won't let me go on my own" Loc spoke up, he'd lost the guilty look and instead he seemed confused but intrigued.

"With good reason, you'd probably end up dead the moment you set foot outside the school grounds" Sophie told him as if stating a casual and obvious fact.

"Hey! That's just mean!" Loc exclaimed in an offended tone, glaring at the girl in annoyance.

"Sorry Loc, but it's true" Sophie said with a small shrug and there was not a hint of remorse in her voice as she said this.

"Anyway" Dante interrupted their argument. "I'm only looking out for Loc incase the suits attack again" Dante told the two, hiding his annoyance flawlessly.

"The Professor's henchman, what would they want with Loc?" Sophie asked looking from one boy to the other with a curious yet puzzled half smile.

"They're after Loc's father's diary; we think it has something to do with the Amulet of Will" Dante explained as they left the school grounds.

"But there's no hope of finding it." Loc cut in looking grim and beat.

"Wait, the Amulet of Will? It's not even supposed to exist" Sophie pointed out with a skeptical frown.

"It has to exist, otherwise my dad disappeared for nothing" Loc said, his voice sounding as determined and serious as the day before.

"You just said you didn't believe in the Amulet of Will" Sophie said, mildly irritated.

"I said there was no hope of finding it now that my dad's journal is destroyed" Loc corrected her. The trio walked in silence for a while until they reached the main streets where Loc took the lead since Dante didn't know where the kid used to live. They ended up at a dorm that, even from the outside, looked like it had been through World War III (World War II in case of anyone who doesn't know about Titan War that had, ironically, centered around the original Casterwill trapping the titans in their amulets). "Sorry about the mess but … I got into a little bit of a fight" Loc joked as they entered the small "room". The walls and roof was adorned by scorch marks that had probably been caused by a suit using Boltflare. The rest of the dorm didn't look any better; shards of shattered glass was scattered everywhere, drawing your attention to the ruined windows. It seemed that everything breakable had indeed been broken in the suits' failed attempt to capture Loc. "Just gimme a minute" Loc called as he disappeared through a door and started rummaging around in his drawers, or at least, that's what it sounded like.

"So, you're the Casterwill heir?" Dante asked with a raised eyebrow, he'd taken a while to figure it out but it made sense. Sophie nodded as she walked around, studying the room with a strange look on her face. As Dante thought about this he found that he could almost wrap his mind around giving up his free time to train the two fifteen year olds.

"You know Dante, if you're really looking for the Amulet of Will; then I could probably help. There's bound to be a few books on the Amulet of Will in the Casterwill Compound" Sophie said, perplexed.

"Really?" Loc asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"Yes Loc, I can" she almost hissed at him, glaring at him as he knelt down. Dante frowned, praying that they wouldn't fight like this once he started training them.

"Loc, you had better hurry up. We're sitting ducks in here if the suits show up" Dante said, feeling worried as he looked at Loc who was on all fours as he continued looking for something.

"Got it" Loc exclaimed after a minute, yanking a sneaker out from under a chair and stuffing it into his duffle bag.

"Great. Sophie, where do you live?" Dante asked turning to the green eyed girl.

"Not far from here, actually. Follow me" she said in a way that told him she was used to giving people orders and that she _wasn't _used to people disobeying her or even questioning her. That was also clear from the way she treated Loc.

"Hey, Sophie, wait up" Loc called, racing after her. Dante stayed behind, regarding the wrecked dorm for a few minutes longer. He hesitated, unable to shake off the feeling that the place held a strange secret. Dante froze when he saw Sophie in a defensive position in front of a fallen Loc. Sophie seemed to be struggling to keep the suits of the injured boy. Relief flooded her feature as realization dawned on her.

"Strike swiftly, Sabriel!" Sophie cried and Dante watched as a flash of light subsided to reveal a woman with white skin, a helmet with ram horns on and a golden sword standing between Sophie and the suits. Dante snapped into action realizing, like Sophie, that, because Loc's dorm was located in a quieter part of town, it was safe to call out his titans.

"Help us! Freelancer, Caliban!" Dante yelled as he held onto his amulets with a steel grip. There was another flash of light as Caliban and Freelancer joined the fight. Caliban launched himself at Redcap that had been summoned by one of the suits, and Freelancer went to help Sabriel though she and Sophie seemed to be handling everything rather well. Dante handled most of the suits without a problem. Doing a spin kick and hitting the others on a strong nerve or simply punching them if it was really necessary. Dante turned around but unfortunately it was too late and a slash from a Redcap sent him flying into a wall. His right leg lay in an awkward position underneath him his foot turned out in an unnatural way. He cried out as he gripped his broken leg. Luckily only a small stream of blood was escaping from the cut caused by the titan.

He felt nauseas as he watched the Redcap and his smug owner approach him. Freelancer and Sabriel had returned to their amulets a while back and though Caliban seemed eager to protect Dante but his path was blocked by a Redcap and Enforcer. Dante braced himself for whatever was to come, biting down hard as he tried not to think about the pain in his body. A blow never came. There was a flash of midnight-blue and a glow of light before the smug grim was whipped from the suit's face and she turned around to flee, her titan returning to its amulet. "Oh no, you're not getting away that easy" Dante heard a far off voice say before he sank into unconsciousness.

**Get ready for the next one! **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Moving Shadows and Summoned Hope

Dante was woken by a sharp shock through his entire system and he instantly hated his watch as the pain in his body came back at full blast. The watch Mets had given him, and that he was now wearing, had been designed to monitor his heart rate and to help it speed up if it went below a certain point. That's why Dante never wore it when he went to bed.

Dante groaned as he forced open his eyes, wishing that he'd been allowed to stay in the safe unawareness unconsciousness provided. The light that met his eyes made him shut them right away and a headache stabbed at his mind.

With a resigned sigh Dante decided to try again, raising an arm to protect his overly sensitive eyes.

"Are you okay?" Loc asked just as his and Sophie's silhouettes came into focus. They were standing over him, staring down at their trainer with worried frowns on their faces.

"Yeah… fine" Dante grunted as he struggled into a sitting position, gritting his teeth in an effort to suppress the pain.

"What is that?" Loc asked, turning his attention to the watch on Dante's exposed wrist.

"It's the reason I'm awake" Dante said sternly, hiding his embarrassment at having fallen so easily.

"You were only out for a minute so it did its job" said Sophie, who obviously knew something about the way the watch worked. Taking in a deep breath to prepare himself for the oncoming pain, Dante managed to drag his leg out from underneath him, though every normal doctor would have advised against it. Dante didn't really count as normal and therefore reasoned that he could be excused for breaking the medical rules. He laid a light hand on his broken leg and grabbed at all the strength he could find.

"Everfight!" As soon as the spell left his lips, he could feel his body starting to repair itself. Though the bruises and scratches remained in place, his broken leg was fully functional again in a matter of seconds.

"Wow!" Loc breathed as he watched his mentor getting to his feet.

"How'd you get rid of the rest of the suits?" Dante asked with a raised eyebrow, suddenly curious as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets. At the mention of this; Sophie's expression became unreadable and her gaze drifted towards the shadows where only the outline of a person was visible but he was fairly certain it was the girl he'd seen before blacking out.

"It seems I owe you my thanks" Dante told the girl with a ghost of a smile playing across his lips. At that the girl stepped out of the shadows and Dante finally had the opportunity to look at her before realizing that she went to school with him.

"She took out most of the suits by herself. If it hadn't been for her we'd be dead right now" Loc said, sounding both serious and enthusiastic at the same time.

"You're Zhalia Moon" Dante noted as he studied the girl with the midnight blue eyes and bluish-black hair. Her intriguing eyes were set into a beautiful face, but even with that she had a no-nonsense air which Dante assumed was why she was the best in her year.

"And you're Dante Vale" Zhalia said as if she couldn't quite decide how she felt about meeting him. It was strange; you'd think that two top students from the same academy (and only a year apart) would have talked to each other before now, but no one really got to know people outside their grade even though, if you asked someone, they wouldn't have been able to tell you why.

Dante almost smiled at himself as he realized that Loc had simply gone and destroyed the tradition without a second thought. Dante's pleasure over Loc's small achievement was short lived as he suddenly became aware of the fact that there was yet another person who now knew about Loc.

_Maybe she doesn't know_ Dante reasoned. He was fairly certain that Sophie only knew about Loc because they were in the same age group so maybe there was still hope.

"So kid, where are you from?" the hope was quickly lost since the question was aimed directly at Loc. Dante cursed all the luck in the universe for the way things were going.

"I'm from around here" Loc answered hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck in an obviously nervous, manner.

"No kidding?" Zhalia stated, folding her arms and looking slightly annoyed.

"She means who trained you" Sophie said, glaring at Zhalia and leaving both Dante and Loc feeling confused. Dante hadn't forgotten about the fight that had taken place between the two fifteen-year-olds only minutes ago.

"What's with those two?" Loc asked Cherit and a few seconds later he seemed to pick up something else from the conversation between Zhalia and Sophie and he cried out an insulted: "Hey!"

"Don't fool yourself kid, even a seeker half your age could conjure up more of a spark than you did" Zhalia said dismissively, almost repeating Dante's words from that morning.

_Depressing right?_ Dante thought grimly.

"You guys are no help" Loc complained as he fell back from the straight line they'd unconsciously been walking in. After that statement, the group grew silent for a while until Zhalia spoke up again.

"Um, where are we going?" she wanted to know, looking uncomfortable.

"We're going to look for information" Sophie announced just as she stopped in front of a massive house. It was a three storeys with curves, curls and impressive windows everywhere. Millions of school fieldtrips had brought the Huntik students to houses just like this one. The only difference was that they were hundred years older and "haunted". Dante grinned at the thought as Sophie led them inside.

"Miss Sophie? I did not expect your arrival until the end of this week" a tall man with gray hair and a neatly clipped mustache said as he appeared in the long hallway that threatened to go on forever. The man stopped dead when he noticed her company; blinking at Loc who had been admiring the house with an open mouth.

"Fancy" Cherit commented.

"Nice place Sophie!" Loc agreed as he smiled at the fifteen-year-old girl.

_Well, she's definitely a Casterwill _Dante noted before turning his attention back to the man with the gray hair only to have it pulled away again. One of the corners in the hall was untouched by the light that streamed in from all the windows, and Dante felt sure that he'd seen movement.

"This is LeBlanche, he's been taking care of me ever since I can remember" Sophie was busy explaining but Dante ignored her, focusing instead on forcing out whatever was hiding in the shadows. "LeBlanche, this is Loc, Zhalia and Dante Vale" Sophie introduced them. If Dante hadn't been so intrigued with the object in the corner, he might've noticed that he was the only one whose surname had been mentioned. "Oh, and that's Santiago, my bodyguard" Sophie added when she noticed the direction of Dante's gaze. As Dante continued to watch the shadows, a guy who looked to be in his early twenties, strolled into the light and went to stand by one of the many doors that led out of the main hall.

Dante found his appearance almost amusing: He had brown hair that was probably longer than any of the girls he'd ever met or would ever meet and it was tied into a braid. Were it not for his strange clothes and stern expression, some would have mistaken him for a hippie "Follow me" Sophie told them as she led the way through a pair of double doors. The library they entered was absolutely massive and almost put the public one in the town square to shame. As Dante studied row after row of books he got the feeling that the library held information and secret normal humans could only dream of possessing.

"What are you looking for milady?" LeBlanche asked as he trailed behind looking confused.

"Information on the Amulet of Will" Sophie said distractedly, pulling a few books off the shelves.

"What nonsense have you put into milady's head? The Amulet of Will does not exist" Santiago objected and Dante couldn't help feeling as if the accusation was aimed directly at him.

"It's not nonsense Santiago. Now, Loc, was there anything in your father's journal about where the Amulet was hidden?" Sophie cut in, in a very business-like voice.

"How'd you…" Loc started to question looking slightly stunned.

"Logic" she answered as if that explained everything.

"It said: "the Amulet of Will lies with the Gohlam, right?" Dante replied in an effort to ignore Santiago's venomous gaze. Loc blinked before nodding.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zhalia said, drawing Dante's attention to where the black haired girl was standing studying the spines of the books.

"Wait a minute!" Sophie exclaimed as she rushed over to a newer section in the library. She plucked some more books from their resting places, a determined frown on her face. "Okay, I think we have everything we need" she announced, slamming the four books onto the rest of the pile. "Loc, help me" she ordered before shoving half of the pile of books into his empty arms and carrying the other half herself.

The entire time Dante was watching his two trainees, he felt Santiago's stare boring into the side of his head and he was relieved when they were finally allowed to leave.

"Your bodyguard seems like a really nice guy" Dante remarked as they made their way back to school.

"He can be a bit overprotective but he's alright" Sophie told them with a slight shrug. Dante's amusement drained away when he noticed the shadows on the building roofs. They jumped from on building to the next with dangerous grace and speed and Dante's trained ears suddenly zoned in on the outcall of spells being cast.

_Can't they just stop? _Dante thought as he took a sharp turn to the right and grabbed hold of Loc and Sophie and dragging them along behind him as he headed down an alleyway that ended up in the in the abandoned backyard of some factory.

"What's going on Dante?" Loc asked when Dante had let go of the two younger teens and stepped deeper into the backyard. His eyes swept over every inch; taking in empty trash cans, rusted drainpipes, crumpling roof, broken ladder and shattered back windows. The first thing you learned in both defense and offence was: "Allow your mind to take in your surroundings and, when the fight arrives, your brain will be able to form plans".

"We're being followed" he told the others under his breath, even so, he was pretty sure the suits had heard him.

"Not again!" Loc moaned. , trying to find the suits but doing a miserable job with hiding it while doing so.

"Dante we can't fight them off. We don't have any titans left" Sophie hissed, panic creeping into her voice.

"We still have hand to hand combat" Dante reminded her, forcing a confident smile onto his lips. Sophie looked doubtful but nodded and took a defensive position. Dante's eyes widened when he noticed that Zhalia was missing, but there was no time to comment on this as the first two suits dropped to the ground, cracking their knuckles and smiling as if they were imagining the three teens dead already.

"Um…Dante…" Loc said starting to back away before spinning around as another suit landed behind him (blocking the trio's only way out). "What does it take to get rid of you guys?" Loc cried out as he started backing away again.

_I wish I knew_ Dante thought grimly. The suits just grinned at their helpless pray.

"Hey guys, don't you think this is slightly unfair?" Dante asked in a casual voice as he counted the suits in his mind. There were only seven suits. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't have been a problem but each of the suits was holding up an amulet. They were getting ready for a game of cat and mouse and the mice were currently standing back to back in the middle of their circle, wishing they were somewhere else. The silence that surrounded them seemed to stretch out forever. As

Dante continued to wait for the suits to make the first move, he watched his trainees out of the corner of his eye. The next second the suits had jumped into action each summoning a Redcap or Mindrone. Dante launched himself at the first, unprepared suit still summoning her monster of a titan. He landed against the agent's chest before kicking off and doing a summersault in the air and landing outside the circle of suits. Unfortunately Sophie had already been restrained by one of the an Organization members who seemed to have learned out of his mistakes and had brought her to her knees and trapped her hands behind her back.

Loc wasn't doing much better, being up against the wall (literally) with two suits advancing on him. The remaining three suits and their Redcap had surrounded Dante and a blow from any of them would definitely, at the very least, knock him out.

_Why can't you guys just leave the kid alone? _Dante wondered as his gaze drifted back to the blonde teenager. Dante's brow furrowed when Cherit flew up to Loc and whispered something in his ear. Dante watched as the young seeker nodded and dug his hand deep into one of his pockets. When his hand emerged it was clutching a silver stoned amulet.

"Loc, wait!" Dante called when realization finally struck. The suits turned to watch as well and Dante stared on in horror, knowing full well that it was nearly impossible to call up a titan on your first try. Dante himself had had to try two times before getting it right, and Solwing was easier to invoke than Freelancer was. While Loc stared at the stone, seemingly searching for something, the suits ran forward, suddenly alarmed.

"Help us Freelancer" Loc said in a commanding voice, his hand shooting up into the air as if he knew exactly what he was doing and had been doing it for years. For a tenth of a second nothing happened and the suits took another step towards Loc before they froze in place. A bright white light had split out of the middle of the amulet, causing Loc to cringe as if his hand was on fire. Everyone stood frozen as the young seeker summoned his first titan…


	6. Chapter 6

**Did some research just before StarTime101 mentioned it, and from now on the mistake will be corrected; feel free to mention it if anyone sees any other minor mistakes that I continue to repeat.**

Chapter 6: The Curse

As Dante continued to watch, a knight of some sorts appeared in front of Lok, seeming to be his shield. It was the same titan Dante had invoked only half an hour ago and Lok had managed to summon him on his first try. Though this truth bothered Dante, he forced these thoughts and feelings aside so he could worry about it later.

"Wha-what happened?" Lok asked, in a weak voice as his hand went to his head.

_Oh no, please kid, don't _Dante thought as he narrowed his eyes at a still, confused-looking Lok. Lok blinked for a few seconds before a determined frown furrowed his brow.

"Fight them, Freelancer" Lok commanded pointing an accusing finger at the two suits who had cornered him, his glare hardening as well. With that, the second fight of the day started as Dante spun around and took out two of the distracted suits behind him.

"Gareon, Kilthane!" a slightly familiar voice said as a confused Dante looked up to see Zhalia Moon joining the fight. Dante frowned but he had to admit, if only to himself, that he was happy to see her. Dante was surprised but happy when, a few minutes later, the suits ran away and the small group was finally allowed to rest. Lok stumbled but Sophie allowed him to lean on her as he recovered his strengths. Dante breathed a sigh of relief and looked over to Zhalia with curious eyes and a mischievous smile.

"Glad you could join us" Dante observed in an airy voice.

"Wouldn't want to miss the party" Zhalia agreed and Dante smiled, making a note to ask her why she'd disappeared when they were alone later on.

"Come on. I've seen enough of Organization members for one day" Dante said with, the smile still in place as he turned around after noting that Sophie had picked all her books back up and everyone was ready to go once again. He led the way out of the alley and the rest of the way back to school. Unfortunately the school gates did not signal the end of their troubles and Dante soon spotted Matt running towards him. Dante felt his stomach drop; the look on Matt's face was one of sorrow and slight horror. "What is it?" Dante asked in an urgent voice.

"Dante… it-it's Metz… he-" Matt panted and, upon hearing Metz's name, Dante's expression turned emotionless and his stride turned into a run. Dante sprinted all the way to Metz's room and, although Lok, Zhalia and Sophie were behind him, he didn't take much notice of them as he took the stairs three at a time. He burst through the door to Metz's room before freezing on the spot.

The sight was horrible, almost too much to bear. Still, Dante forced himself to stay rooted to the spot as he continued to stare. Six people were standing around Metz's bed and Dante could just barely make out a motionless body lying on the bed.

Dante wasn't aware of the fact that he'd been walking until he came to a halt in front of Metz's bed. He looked down at his favorite teacher, his mentor and his best friend. Dante had never seen Metz this pale. Fresh sweat was glistening on his face.

"What's wrong with him" Dante asked, his throat feeling thick but his voice staying emotionless.

"Dante, you shouldn't be here" Guggenheim's voice said behind Dante.

"I can't just leave him" Dante said, losing some of his cool.

"Dante, we can discuss this later but, I'm afraid I'm going to HAVE to ask you to leave" Guggenheim insisted causing Dante to clench his teeth in an effort to keep his anger under control. "Dante, I know how much he means to you, but you need to give the doctor time to take a look at Metz's condition" Guggenheim said as he rested a hand on Dante's shoulder. Dante shrugged it off before turning around and rushing out of the room. The trip to his dorm didn't calm him; in fact, it seemed to make matters worse.

_How could they expect me to leave him like that? Why wouldn't they let me stay? Couldn't they_ _see I didn't want to go? _

_What is wrong with Metz? Can they cure him? Is there anything I can do? I did notice him acting strange yesterday, why didn't I do anything?_

All these questions and accusations were running around in Dante's head as he lay down on his bead and stared up at the ceiling. _And what about Loc? _Dante wondered, his thoughts turning to the blonde teenager. _Why had he succeeded in invoking a titan on his first try when I hadn't managed?_ Dante felt infuriated with the world and the situations he was in, everything just seemed cruel. With a groan, Dante pressed his face into his pillow. He just couldn't make sense of his life right now.

Dante woke with a start, once again woken by the shock of his watch. With a grunt, Dante pushed himself up and went to the bathroom. After showering once again and changing back into his old clothes, Dante headed back to Metz's room, he _had _to know if Metz was okay. Dante was in front of the door to Metz's room minutes later and took a deep breath to steady himself before knocking.

A young woman with brown hair opened the door. She blinked before her eyes widened.

"You were here earlier" she commented, recognizing him. "Come in" she said as stepped aside to allow Dante to pass. "I'm Kerry, I'm going to be looking after Metz as long as it's needed."

"I'm Dante Vale" Dante introduced himself in a distracted manner. "How is he?" Dante continued without a pause. Kerry walked to the bedside table and picked a cloth out of the bowl it had been lying in. She laid the wet cloth across Metz's brown before looking back up at Dante.

"He's fever has gone down, so that's good news. But we're still not capable of identifying the sickness. It'll be a few days before we know for sure" Kerry continued in the voice of a professional. Dante's gaze traveled back to Metz but before anything more could be said, there was a knock on the door and Matt appeared.

Dante grimaced; afraid that his friend would bring more bad news. Dante's prediction seemed to be accurate because Matt looked troubled and slightly accusing.

"Professor Guggenheim wants to see you in his office" Matt informed Dante in an icy voice. Dante frowned at his friend before nodding his thanks to the nurse and leaving. Dante was still trying to figure out why Guggenheim would want to see him when he entered the principal's office. The answer to his silent question was sitting in one of the two chairs in front of the man's desk.

Dante restrained himself from looking surprised. In his hast to reach Metz, and his anger at being asked to leave, Dante had completely forgotten about Lok. He'd allowed the younger teen to follow him inside, not realizing that three teachers and the principal would be there to recognize that Lok wasn't a student of the school. Cursing himself for being so naive and stupid, Dante tried to put a blank expression on his face as he sat down next to Lok.

The poor kid was staring at the floor looking embarrassed, guilty and slightly terrified. The brown haired teen grimaced at the irony of the situation: Lok couldn't stop talking when he was in a battle but when he had to face Guggenheim he was as silent as the dead. Pushing that thought out of his head, Dante turned his attention back to the principal.

His grimace turned into a glare when he realized that, his being here probably meant that Lok had split on him as well as Zhalia and Sophie. Dante noticed Guggenheim giving a slight nod and he forced himself to look bored as he turned his eyes on Guggenheim once again.

"So Dante, I have to ask you, what were you thinking to allow an unidentified seeker to enter the school grounds _and _a teacher's room?" Guggenheim asked as he turned his back on the two boys to look out of the large window that dominated the back wall.

"B-but I'm not unidentified" Lok stuttered looking truly shocked. Dante guess that he hadn't said anything until now and that was probably why Guggenheim hadn't recognized him as Eathon Lambert's son. If that was true, it also meant Lok hadn't split on them; his anger at Lok lessened the slightest bit.

"Hush up, boy" Guggenheim ordered as he turned a steely eye on the blonde teenager who looked flummoxed. His confused blue eyed gaze turned to Dante for help but none could be given.

Dante's loyalty wavered as he looked between the two, trying to figure out if it was really worth it to help Lok. Finally, with a resigned look on his handsome face, Dante spoke up.

"He's just a seeker I picked up on the street and seeing how everybody's complaining about the lack of seekers, I just thought we needed all the help we could get, his not gonna do anyone any harm" Dante said with a shrug. Suspicion flashed in Guggenheim's grey eyes as he continued to stare at the two teenagers.

"And why hide him?" he asked, the sternness never leaving his voice. "He's not trained, I thought he would at least have to be able to do the basics before he came here" Dante stated simply.

"And, is he properly trained yet?" Guggenheim asked with a raised eyebrow. Dante threw a glance at Lok before answering the question.

"No" he said flatly.

"Then why bring him here when he is absolutely no use to us?" Guggenheim's temper seemed to be rising up again. Dante froze; he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to tell him about Lok's father's journal, he felt as if it wasn't his story to tell, not yet.

"He needed a place to stay" Dante replied his gaze and voice finally faltering.

"Fine" Guggenheim said even though Dante could tell he wasn't truly buying it, but who was Dante to complain, he'd let the subject drop.

"What's your name kid?" the principal asked as he turned his inspecting eyes on Lok. Annoyance flashed in the boy's blue eyes before he recovered himself and stuttered: "Lok Lambert, sir." Guggenheim seemed startled by this information but of course this didn't surprise Dante; Eathon Lambert had been one of the top students while he'd been at school here. Guggenheim had been only two years ahead so he probably knew Eathon Lambert rather well.

"Right, well, go do a mile and come back, we'll have a place to stay for you by then. Dante, you may leave" Guggenheim ordered after clearing his throat. "Thanks Dante" the young teen muttered under his breath as he stood up. Dante refused to give any sign that he'd heard. Lok slumped after Dante before heading for his second jog of the day. Dante felt no sympathy towards him for the situation Lok now found himself in, it was his fault that he'd been stupid enough to follow Dante into Metz room and it was his fault that Dante was now on Guggenheim's blacklist.

Dante didn't have time for this ridiculous challenge the world had thrown at him; he had Metz and his school to worry about. He certainly couldn't recall ever volunteering to train Lok, never mind help the boy search for his father and the Amulet of Will for crying out loud!

Dante balled his fists as he stalked back to his dorm.

"Thanks for warning me" he shot at Matt as he entered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he glared at his friend (sorry, _former_ friend).

"I only did what was right" Matt said, returning the glare. Dante's eyes widened in temporary surprise as he realized Matt had been the one to give him up to Guggenheim. _Wow, some friend _Dante thought with a humorless chuckle.

"Wow, thanks Matt, but trust me when I tell you I am _never _forgetting this" Dante hissed, unable to keep the venom out of his voice. With that said he left the living room; slamming the door so hard the windows in his room rattled. His mom would probably have grounded him for it if he had been at home. Dante fumed as he did his homework, trembling as he scribbled down the answers to his math homework.

Never before had he been so infuriated with someone, so enraged that he couldn't think. His sleep was uneasy that night, and when he woke up the next morning, he was even more exhausted than he'd been before going to bed, but at least the pain and hatred of the night before had disappeared.

He felt that he could once again take on the world with a calm, serious and uninfluenced mind. He knocked on the door with a small smile on his lips. If Metz was awake, Dante was determined to be joyful and carefree for his sake, Dante didn't want the man to worry over him while in this state.

The nurse, Dante had trouble remembering her name but finally managed, ushered him inside and relief flushed Dante's feature and the grin widened when he saw Metz sitting upright in his bed with a tray in front of him. He smiled at Dante when he saw the lean teenager approaching his bed with slight caution.

"Don't worry, I won't bite" Metz joked. Dante managed a dry laugh as he pulled a chair a bit closer and sat down next to his mentor. "So, what's the matter?" Metz asked Dante with a concerned frown. Dante grimaced; it was so like Metz to worry about Dante when he was in no condition to do that.

"It's just, why are you sick, you seemed fine a few days ago and this sickness doesn't seem natural" Dante confessed his worries, unable to keep his impatience out of his voice. When it came to Metz, he found that he struggled to keep his emotions to himself, his friend just knew him too well.

Metz seemed hesitant to answer his young student.

Finally, after taking in some deep, rather unsteady breaths, Metz told him the story of himself, Eathon and Simon going on a quest to find the three legendary titans. It was treasures, many seekers before them, had died in search of.

"… and because I had to go in and pull Simon away when he awoke the curse of the titans, I guess I got infected as well" Metz finished of. Dante's mouth felt dry from the news and he found that he could barely speak.

"Is there a cure?" he managed to croak.

**Sorry, I know it's not one of my better chapters, but hey, it had to happen.**


	7. Chapter 7

**The long awaited chapter. I'm so sorry it took so long but I had a major case of writers block. Still though, I expect reviews of your disapproval or approval, either way, tell me if where I'm going with this is okay. Thanks!**

Chapter 7: No Turning Back

Dante stared at Lok as if the blonde haired teen had dropped from the sky. He'd been so distracted by what Metz had told him, that he hadn't noticed the kid approaching him. Lok mumbled something about being ready for training, though he seemed very wary of it.

Dante almost considered telling Lok to go away, that he had better stuff to do and that he wasn't in the mood for training, but he restrained himself, the guy didn't deserve it.

"So… you're going to school here now?" Dante said, actually managing to make his voice sound light enough to hide his grief.

"Yeah, Guggenheim offered me a scholarship. But I have to have an A average if I want to stay" Lok complained, seeming truly uncertain whether he could carry through with that agreement or not. "Or I have to be selected for a team, though I don't know what that means" Lok added as the two students started for the yard. Dante sighed but kept his gaze in front of him as he started talking.

"Lok, Huntik Academy isn't just a school –"

"I know it's to help seekers, right?" Lok interrupted as if only now remembering what Dante had called him while speaking to Guggenheim.

"Yeah, but it's not just that, we're here to learn to be the future Huntik Foundation agents" Dante told him absently. The words were so familiar on his tongue, that he hardly needed concentration to tell the story. "Seekers exist to retrieve amulets, bring them back to safety or bond with them. We're there to keep the amulets away from normal humans if the amulets were available for anyone to bond with them, well, we'd probably have a war on our hands. The Seekers and Titans' world needs to stay a secret for as long as possible" Dante explained in a stern voice.

"Right?" Lok said the word slowly, as if he wasn't sure where the story was going.

"We're here for about five years. By then you have to be part of a team, there's not much hope for you otherwise" Dante grimaced at the thought.

"What happens if you're part of a team?" Lok questioned.

"Well, you have to be in the top ten of your year to be the leader of a team, and then you get to choose two, or at the most three, teammates who'll be allowed to accompany you on your missions. Mostly, we have to find about five titans on school assigned missions before we're declared Foundation agents. Then we can leave school, even if we weren't in our last year at the Academy" Dante murmured.

"Mostly though, we just finish school since it's easier to get a normal job that way. Anyway, even if kids are part of a team, they usually still stay here for a while. It hard to find titans when you don't know what you're looking for and since its kinda like a test to allow you to 'graduate' not many people pass immediately. It's also very dangerous" Dante added.

"But, there must be people who don't make the team, what happens to them?" Lok seemed truly worried by it.

"You become a back-up agent, but there's no guarantee that you'll be called in for fieldwork" Dante stated with a sad shake of his head.

"Sounds rough" Lok observed. Dante couldn't help raising an eye at that. "So, um, how do you get into a team without doing all that hard work" Lok asked, clearly doubtful of being a straight A student. Dante's face morphed into a look of disbelief.

"Lok, you can't just be a Seeker without working for it, you have to earn your place in this world" Dante told him, sure that he must know this already. Lok's eyes hardened.

"I suppose…this is something I'd work hard for"

"Anyway, they don't usually pick first years for their teams, you're to inexperienced" Dante was cautious to add, not wanting the kid to get his hopes up but not really wanting to burst his bubble either.

"Oh" Lok's face fell and he seemed truly disappointed by this news. Dante managed a half-smile at that; Lok was the first Junior Seeker naïve enough to think that he could be part of a team.

"We still have training to do. Have you managed to conjure up a Boltflare yet?" Dante decided to change the subject. His trainee shook his head, looking even more miserable than before. Dante frowned in slight frustration. It didn't make sense; the guy had already summoned a titan, why couldn't he call up a Boltflare? Dante rolled his eyes when he looked back at Lok and had to correct his stance.

"Hey, you started without me!" a voice objected and the boys turned around to see Sophie rushing towards them, books piled high in her arms. Dante raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"Jeez Sophie, what'd you do, rob a library or something?" Lok asked as she slid the books onto a windowsill.

"Oh ha-ha, very funny" she said dryly as she placed a hand on her hips. Ignoring Lok, Sophie looked over to Dante instead. "I was doing some research on the legendary titans - though I seemed to have lost one of the books. I actually contribute something to this group, Lok" Sophie stated. Dante stiffened and looked away from the two younger teens.

"Um, you all right Dante?" Lok seemed uneasy. Dante bit back a curse, why did the kid have to choose right now to be observant.

"Fine" Dante mumbled eyeing the books Sophie had put down.

"Does this have something to do with Metz" Lok inquired. Great, now he had to be perceptive to. Sophie's eyes widened and her gaze shifted from Dante to Lok and back again.

"What's going on Dante?" Sophie seemed cautious to approach the subject.

"It's nothing" Dante's eyes flashed but he managed to contain his rage. "Now concentrate; Sophie, practice your Nimblefire and Touchram, I want you to be able to fight using only those abilities" Dante said but he could tell the younger teens knew he was avoiding the subject.

"Lok, you need to concentrate on creating a fire inside yourself, that's the first step to a Boltflare. Concentrate on it and let it out of your hands, if you master Boltflare the other spell should be easier to call up" Dante said, turning to the fifteen year old boy.

"So, until then I'm stuck doing nothing?" Lok questioned, his hands clenched into fists. Dante nodded.

"But sir, I have to go!" Dante protested hours later, throwing his hands into the air.

"You're not going anywhere Dante, you're not thinking straight and you need time" Guggenheim insisted.

"I don't have time, if I wait another month, Metz might die" Dante screamed, his voice breaking on the last word.

"You will show me respect Dante, you may be the top Seeker but you're still one of my students" Guggenheim's eyes flashed with anger and Dante forced himself to stay silent. "You're a student who still has exams and important decisions to make and worry about. I suggest you return to your dorm and do your homework, get some rest. The next few weeks are going to be hard on you. We can talk more when you're done with it all" Guggenheim continued, his back turned to Dante.

"We need to do something before it's too late" Dante muttered before leaving. Dante visited the library before heading back to his room. He felt a mixture of anger and sorrow rising in his chest as he went.

He didn't care what he was supposed to do; Guggenheim couldn't keep him from saving Metz, but, not knowing where the antidote was might. He grimaced as he sat down in front of the large pile of books that would certainly make Sophie proud.

The leather-bound books were the only hope he had of finding an antidote or at least a location for one.

"Glad to see you're studying" a cocky voice broke through Dante's dreadful thoughts. Dante looked up to see a smiling Sophie and Lok. Even Zhalia was standing to one side with a mischievous glint in her eyes and only a small smile on her lips. How did he not notice them coming in?

"What are you doing here" Dante's voice came out harsher than he meant it to. Lok flinched before his face returned to a somewhat neutral expression.

"Come on Dante, we're a team" Sophie said as if to remind him, though Dante couldn't remember ever agreeing to that term.

"Yeah, Metz helped me, now I want to help him" Lok's eyebrows furrowed as he slammed his fist into his palm. Dante looked over to Zhalia, waiting for her reason since she didn't seem like the type to work in a team.

"Hey, as long as I don't have to be in school, I don't care where we go" she shrugged. Dante gave her a small smile since he knew exactly what she meant.

"We're going to help you find a cure for Metz's curse" Sophie continued to explain.

"We can't, Guggenheim won't allow a mission" Dante sighed, lowering his gaze to the ground.

"Who said anything about the trip being legal" the mischievous looking had returned to Zhalia's face and her smile was now wide.

"Yeah" Lok grinned as well, eagerness bright in his eyes. Dante couldn't believe what he was hearing. He barely knew the other three teens, yet they were ready to go on a mission with him to help his mentor.

Lok seemed to notice the doubt on Dante's face since he decided to speak up. "Don't worry Dante we'll find a cure and then everything'll be fine" he tried to assure the redheaded teenager. Dante's eyes were sceptical as he stared at the three teens who now claimed to be his team.

Zhalia he could understand; she was fast, agile and one of the best trained Seekers in the school. She was cunning and smart and looked like she could take good care of herself. Sophie wasn't to bad herself; she was smart, resourceful and knew a good amount of spell that they didn't really teach at school. She was also from a powerful bloodline, but Lok didn't really have anything to offer. Lok was naïve, untrained and had only been exposed to the Seeker world for about a week, Dante wasn't even sure if he fully understood the concept of what Seekers were supposed to do, nor the seriousness of the consequences should they be unlucky enough to fail.

"Look, this is great and all, but how are we supposed to leave the school grounds" Sophie stated and Dante struggled for a moment before remembering what they were talking about. Dante smiled, suddenly eagerly anticipating the night of their escape, a plan already forming in the back of his mind.

"I might have an idea" the other three froze when they saw the glint in Dante's eyes

A shadow fell across the already dark grass and a redheaded teen with blazing golden brown eyes scanned the surrounding area for any sign of his temporary teammates.

"So glad you could make it" Dante stated, not even glancing over his shoulder to see if Zhalia was really behind him.

"Wouldn't want to miss our jail break out" she stated in a casual tone.

"'Jail break-out?'" Dante said, skeptical once again. Dante was almost certain Zhalia was smiling, even though he hadn't moved a muscle to check. "Did you disconnect the security cameras?" Dante questioned, forcing himself to stay calm as he continued to search the still courtyard they were in. He was sure he could hear Zhalia breathing softly behind him and couldn't help staring intently at his own breath that was fogging up the air as a chill of excitement crept up his spine.

"Something like that" Zhalia's agreed, her voice filled with humor. Dante suppressed a smile at the thought of the midnight-blue eyed girl putting sleeping drugs in the security guards' coffee, or simply approaching them and knocking them out with Kilthane.

Two quick flashes of light drew Dante's attention back to reality, followed by a "CLANG" sound, like dustbins falling over. Dante's muscles tensed as he shot from his hiding place activating the Nimblefire spell as he went.

As the two older teens neared the rendezvous point, the only blind spot in the entire school, they spotted Sophie. She seemed quite exhausted already as she created a small gap in the otherwise rock solid shield.

Dante grinned as he thought of what Metz had once told him. "No enemy is untouchable, every rock must crumble someday" the grin soon disappeared as he remembered why he was leaving school in the first place. The lean teen ducked through the gap before offering his hand to Zhalia who took it and slip gracefully through as if jumping through holes was second nature to her.

"Hurry up Lok" Sophie, who had spotted the blonde haired 15-year-old, hissed as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face. Dante watched almost in slow-motion as Lok came towards them and crashed into Sophie. The two of them were sent flying through the gap and lay spiraled out on the dew covered grass.

Dante stared, shifting between amusement and shock as Lok struggled into a sitting position, his hands supporting him from behind.

"What was that for?" Sophie demanded, glaring at Lok accusingly.

"Sorry, I slipped" Lok rubbed the back of his neck, as if something like this happened often.

Huffing, Sophie got up and brushed off her skirt while Lok did the same with his grass covered jeans. Zhalia seemed almost disbelieving as she watched the two exchange insults.

"Enough. We better get moving" Dante stated as he glanced at Guggenheim's office windows. It was only quarter to eleven so it was highly likely that he could still be there. An angry Sophie pushed past him, storming into the night with her fists balled and her hair flying behind her. Lok followed after her, grumbling about girls being more annoying than his mother's baby stories.

"How is any of this going to work out with those two fighting all the time?" Zhalia questioned as they followed at a slower pace.

"We'll just have to make it work" he insisted even though he himself wasn't so sure of it.

"So, where to first?" Zhalia questioned in a resigned voice.

"That, we'll have to find out from Sophie, she's the one with the books on the Legendary Titans"

"Dante, what if the cure is to find the Amulet of Will" Dante ignored her question, having thought of the possibility himself and not liking the idea of having such a challenge on his hands.

It was a nauseating thought since, according to legend, there'd been hundreds of people who searched for the Amulet of Will and none of had the luck of finding it. He pushed the thought away as the reached the Casterwill Compound and were ushered inside by LeBlanche, who had a worried frown decorating his face.

"I booked your flight milady" LeBlanche informed the teens the moment everyone had reached the tearoom.

"Thank you LeBlanche" Sophie said as she grabbed a bag that seemed to be overloaded.

"Are you sure you'll be alright Miss Sophie? Do you have everything you need?" LeBlanche seemed uncertain to let her go and his voice was cracking with the concern he felt.

"I'll be fine LeBlanche" Sophie stated reassuringly, her argument with Lok already forgotten. "By the way, where's Santiago?" as she said this, the serious hippie stepped out of the shadows, glaring at Dante as if he'd kept the expression going all the way from their last visit till now.

"What's the matter Santiago?" Sophie frowned, only now seeming to notice the glare the redheaded teenager was receiving.

"I will not allow you to go anywhere with this _boy, _especially not on some crazy adventure to find none existing amulets while the Organization is searching high and low for him" Santiago exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at a stunned Dante.

Everybody else seemed just as shocked as Dante was, though he didn't really notice. The teen was too amazed to do much more than stare.

"They're after me?" he finally managed in a husky voice. Santiago just continued to glare, as if he actually expected Dante to know all this already.

"Hold up, why would they be after Dante?" Lok questioned since his mentor was still struggling to process the information.

"How should I know and why should I care, the point is, Sophie's not going anywhere with this scoundrel" Dante's brow furrowed at this. He didn't like being accused of things that were out of his control. He hadn't chosen to be on the Organization's hit list, it – for some crazy reason – had just happened.

"The Organization is probably on their way right now and you're here putting Miss Casterwill in danger" he continued to rant.

"That's not true! Dante would never do something like that on purpose" Lok suddenly exclaimed.

"Besides, I'd trust Dante with my life" Sophie added her brow furrowed in a challenging manner. Dante blinked, he barely knew these kids and still they were standing by his side, trying to defend him. His gaze flitted towards Zhalia and he couldn't help wondering whether she would do the same.

"But milady-" Santiago tried to objected, suddenly uncertain of his accusation.

"That's enough Santiago. Now, help me look for books on Alexander the Great" she said gesturing towards the door that led out of the tearoom. Dante and Zhalia exchanged looks before following.

"Wait, why do we need information on Alexander the Great?" Zhalia said, staring at Dante as if she expected him to have all the answers. Dante felt slightly frustrated, it was clear Lok and Zhalia, and maybe even Sophie too, saw him as the leader, but he didn't know where to start search or even what to search for.

"In all the recordings about Alexander's life, it's mentioned that he died of an unknown illness" Sophie explained while gesturing with her hands.

"And you think it's somehow connected to seekers and titans?" Zhalia questioned, folding her arms in an almost challenging manner.

"Not only that…I think Alexander had the curse of the Legendary Titans".

**I considered putting in the fight between Dante and Santiago but decided against it since Dante doesn't have the experience he mentioned in the series and therefore it's not guaranteed that he would win. Oh, and sorry if I made Santiago a bit OC-ish but I really try to keep as close to everyone's original personalities as possible.**


End file.
